“Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word.” Luke 2:29

Walk in the Light

In the secular world, February 2nd is Groundhog Day. The groundhog emerges, and if he sees his shadow, he pops back in for another 6 weeks, but if the day is cloudy he stays out. In the Christian tradition it is celebrated as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary brought the child Jesus into the temple on the fortieth day along with a humble sacrifice of two young pigeons. A devout man named Simeon, and a prophetess named Anna had been waiting for this moment, Simon to announce the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah, and Anna to go out and spread the news. The birth of Jesus is about light coming into a dark world. Jesus brings to light the truth that expels the dark shadows of evil. Wrongdoers avoid the light because it reveals their true nature. So, like the groundhog they retreat back into the darkness. Jesus calls us into the light and reveals God’s truth to us. His light guides us as we walk the pathways of life, so that when our journey comes to an end, we will know that we have seen the salvation of God, and we, too, like Simeon, can depart in peace.

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